SPRING IS COMING! What does your fancy turn to?
Depending on where you live, it is coming faster or slower than others. For those of us living in San Diego county, it is coming faster. Thanks to the plentiful rain we received last month, things are greening up almost over night. Flowers are Blooming! For those of you living in the MidWest or the East, it is coming slower. My granddaughter is going to college in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and my daughter's family live in Platteville, Wisconsin and although the temperatures are coming up; their 10 day weather forecast still includes a possibility of rain/snow showers. But I am sure that the word "showers" brings some degree of hope for Spring coming.
Regardless of your weather right now; in Spring, what does your fancy turn to? Even though I have a limited planting space for a garden, I still love collecting seed catalogues. Some of the other "fancies" I turn to include Spring baseball, one day road trips, Spring cleaning ( because I
feel like I have to--NOT because I want to), reading cookbooks for Spring and Summer recipes,
and thoughts of being outdoors more! And, let's not forget the arrival of Daylight Savings Time.
As I think about my Spring fancies, I realize that there is one that includes all the others.
Drum roll, please! Garage Sales! Not being an avid garage sale person, I find myself looking for the ads and the signs in the yards of upcoming sales. Every fancy that I have at springtime can be tickled at a garage sale. I love looking for old copies of seed catalogues, anything collectible for baseball, books and maps for road tripping, cookbooks - both old and new that generates some watering of the mouth when read. Notice, that I left out the housecleaning fancy unless I can find some old-fashioned advice or feng shui books that will make the process easier.
So, for those of you who are like me and don't have the word avid in front of your garage sale interest; I am posting some garage sale tips for you. Even if you have heard them before, you might forget some of the key ones from year to year. The following guide fits into the avid fan of garage sales: the eBay seller. Even if you are collecting for just yourself and not selling on eBay; you know that someday your collections will outgrow your space. So you might be a seller on eBay before you know it and even if not you will find some very useful tips in the following guide. The Garage Sale Guide was found on
Tips for Garage Sale Buyers and Sellersby: maxsamedia
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Find those sales. Check your local paper (also online version), those pennysaver freebie papers and craigslist for garage sales. I also find signs people put up around town in advance, which rocks! I can find out a few days ahead if I can make it there.
- Courtesy and a Smile. This goes for you too! Courtesy never hurt anyone, so be nice. I always try to say Good Morning/Afternoon to the sale holder. Nice touch. Also, try not to make a mess, pick up after yourself, compliment something, help them move things, ask before going somewhere that may be private, watch your kids. Don't ever call their stuff crap, even if it is and even if you’re not buying anything. It is just beyond rude. Just look around, say thank you/good luck and leave. If you're in a small town, someone there may remember you at their garage sale and charge you an arm and a leg for being nasty. If you're nice and smiley, they'll probably give you a deal. If not, at least you were a good person.
- A big sturdy tote bag, pref. canvas with short handles. VERY important. I use this as a shopping basket type thing, so I can grab what I want then check again before I buy. Hook it over your arm and you still have both hands free to rummage. A godsend! A folding granny cart is good to use at a flea market to hold your stuff, so you’re not running back to the car all the time. (also mentioned below)
- Know what you're looking for. Are you just browsing, or are you looking for something in particular? Need a lamp, a blender, particular books, furniture, toys? Specific collectibles or other ebayables? Keep a little notebook with you, and write down just what you're looking for, with specifics (colors, sizes, dimensions). This way you won't forget when you see it. Some people even bring price guides with them, but this can be a bit cumbersome and makes it obvious that you're a collector or reseller.
- Grab it! If you see something interesting, even if you're not sure about it, GRAB it. Put it in your canvas shopping bag. You can always put it back if you don't want it. If you then decide you do want it, it'll be gone. Mother always said: If you see it, grab it or someone else will.
- Wait your turn. If the seller is dealing with someone, please wait until they are finished before asking for prices or to pay. I had many buyers come up to me and interrupt while I was dealing with someone else. Please give me a second here ...
- Don’t expect freebies. If someone is selling at a reasonable price, feel free to haggle, but let them make some money. Not everyone sells books for .10. If it’s .50, fine, that’s still a bargain! True, I usually won’t pay more than $1 for a DVD or .50 for a book, but not everyone sells them for less. Have a top price, try to haggle for lower but remember that not every purchase will be a killer bargain.
- Go easy on the newbies. Not everyone is a garage sale maven, they may not know how to price their stuff. If they ask you the buyer how much, be reasonable. If you pay about $1.00 for something, tell them .50 to 1.00, not .10. That may be good for you, but I totally believe in karma. You cheat someone here, and you'll get cheated somewhere else. They'll probably undercharge you anyway, and at least your conscience will be clear.
- Always ask for a bulk discount if buying lots of stuff!! I cannot stress that enough. Say: What will you take for ALL this stuff (even if it's not that much)? They'll usually knock a few bucks off, just to move it all out. Always worth a try. I'll even buy a whole box of similar things (books, buttons, CDs), even if there's a few I don't want, cause I can get a better price for the whole lot then for a few cherry-picked items. The duds can be traded, donated or saved for my next garage sale.
- Don't let on you're a reseller. As mentioned above, some people may not be thrilled to know you may be profiting off their old stuff. Few will ever ask outright, but avoid letting on you're an ebayer. If asked, say you know someone who loves/collects this stuff. "My brother is a DJ, so he likes lots of CDs." "My sister knits, so she'd love these vintage patterns." If with someone else, have a code: Do you think "Zelda" will like this?? (translation, "think it will go on ebay?")
- Bring a buddy. Know someone who also loves to garage sale? Want to spend more time with your kids? Bring them along! You can do more in half the time. They can also scout more areas for you, advise you on purchases, and help you carry, while you do the same for them. A real bonding experience for friends or family. I bring my 4 year old son with me, he just loves going around town to other people's houses, and he loves the goodies he gets on our walks.
- Check your items before you leave. Does it have all the parts? Does it work? Is the DVD in the case, and is it the correct one? Forget about returning stuff if it's broken or not right, this is a garage sale, not Sears. Also check clothing for stains, tears, does it have the buttons, does the zipper work. I bought some "brand-new" sneakers for my son, but when I got home I saw they did have a bit of wear inside. Nothing major, I guess they were worn maybe a few times, but still. (I did get an exchange at my garage sale though; a lady returned with a purse and even-exchanged it for a kid's shirt. Go figure.)
- Don't turn your nose up at the clothes. I know that most people get the creeps when they think of used clothes (yarg!). That's fine, I can understand. But many times I see clothes with the tags on them, never worn! Also take a peek at jackets, vests, ties and other such "outer" items. They don't touch the skin. I do sometimes check out clothes for my son, only if they look new or almost new. I got two almost new heavy button down Gap shirts, a great almost new reversible Guess denim jacket and new Gap black jeans for him, all for $2.00 total. Perfect for school. Of course, everything went through the wash as soon as I got home. This works better for younger kids; older kids may be a bit more picky. Depends on your kid.
- Gear up. Some comfy shoes, some caffeine and a very biiiiig tote bag and cart that holds everything I need. Some things I always bring:
- A good map of your area. I walk everywhere, so I need to know if a GS sign I just saw is within my walking limits. My map is from my local village hall, and it's practically large print. Try there, and grab a few because they'll get tattered soon enough.
- A big sturdy tote bag, pref. canvas with short handles. VERY important. I use this as a shopping basket type thing, so I can grab what I want then check again before I buy. Hook it over your arm and you still have both hands free to rummage. A godsend! A folding granny cart is good to use at a flea market to hold your stuff, so you’re not running back to the car all the time.
- Money in small bills. I'd feel like a Class A dope if I just haggled for a $1 item then paid with a $50 bill.
- Some water and snacks. Self explanatory, esp. in summer.
- Baby wipes or moist towelettes. Easy to clean things or yourself after rummaging.
- Cell phone. Honey, can you come pick me up??? I just bought 500 books ... yeah right, like THAT'S gonna happen ... But you may need a hand getting that retro couch back to your house.
- Pen and paper, if person has more to sell or knows of another sale in the future, or the phone number of that cute guy also rummaging through the books.
- Boxes to hold your stuff steady in the trunk of your car.
- Wrapping stuff: newspaper for smalls and glassware, towels blankets for larger items and furniture.
- Tape measure, to make sure it will fit in your house.
- Magnifying glass/loupe, to check for cracks, damage and to read hallmarks/signatures.
- Your own plastic bags, they may run out.
- Some people use GPS, and also use their phones with internet access to check on craigslist throughout the day. Sounds kinda hardcore to me, but whatever works for you.
